Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 2 March 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

Date:        March 2, 2018

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Friday, March 2  sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species)

NOTE:  The RBA is now using the new AOU checklist and the order of families has changed.

Greater White-fronted Goose (Adams, Rio Grande, Weld, Yuma)

BRANT (*Arapahoe)

Trumpeter Swan (Archuleta, Fremont, Yuma)

Greater Scaup (El Paso, Jefferson, Mesa, Park, Weld)

White-winged Scoter (Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Long-tailed Duck (Montezuma)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (El Paso, Montezuma, Park, *Weld) 

Red-necked Grebe (Douglas, *Larimer)

African Colllared-Dove (Jefferson)

Sandhill Crane (Adams, Mesa, Rio Grande)

Least Sandpiper (Archuleta)

American Woodcock (Larimer)

Greater Yellowlegs (Prowers)

Spotted Sandpiper (Weld)

Franklin’s Gull (Boulder)

Mew Gull (*Weld)

California Gull (Douglas, Larimer , Mesa, Park)

Iceland Gull (Douglas, El Paso, Larimer, Pueblo, Weld) 

Great Black-backed Gull (Pueblo, Weld)

YELLOW-BILLED LOON (Douglas, Jefferson)

Double-crested Cormorant (Weld)

American White Pelican (Arapahoe, Douglas)

Osprey (*Pueblo)

Northern Goshawk (Arapahoe, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer)

HARRIS’S HAWK (*Larimer)

Snowy Owl (Boulder)

Burrowing Owl (*Broomfield)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)

Eastern Phoebe (*Arapahoe)

Say’s Phoebe (*Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas,  Jefferson)

Pinyon Jay (*Grand)

Chihuahuan Raven (Adams, Fremont)

Tree Swallow (Pueblo)

Pygmy Nuthatch (Broomfield)

Winter Wren (Morgan)

Bewick’s Wren (Garfield)

Gray Catbird (Arapahoe)

Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso)

Northern Mockingbird (Denver)

Bohemian Waxwing (Gunnison, Larimer)

American Pipit (Weld)

Common Redpoll (Jefferson, Larimer)

Lapland Longspur (Denver)

Field Sparrow (Baca)

Sagebrush Sparrow (*Conejos)

Fox Sparrow (Delta, Larimer)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Archuleta, Douglas, La Plata, Mesa, Yuma)

White-throated Sparrow (Arapahoe, *El Paso)

Harris’s Sparrow (*Denver, El Paso, Jefferson)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Yuma)

Rusty Blackbird (Larimer)

Pine Warbler (*Larimer)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Arapahoe, Jefferson, Larimer)

Northern Cardinal (Yuma)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On February 24 on Picadilly Rd, John Vanderpoel and Bill Kaempfer reported Chichuahuan Raven.

---On February 26 at Rocky Mt Arsenal NWR, Susan Rosine reported 2 Greater White-Fronted Geese on far side of Lower Derby Lake.

---On February 27 on Elaine T Valente Open Space, Crystal Beckel reported 22 Sandhill Cranes.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On February 24 at South Platte Reservoir, Matt Hofeditz, Edward Donnan, Mackenzie Goldthwaite reported White-winged Scoter; Goldthwaite reported Say’s Phoebe; Stephen Chang reported White-winged Scoter in SW Bay (Jefferson).  On February 25 at South Platte Reservoir SW Bay (Jefferson), Christian Hagenlocher reported White-winged Scoter; Matt Clark reported White-winged Scoter on Arapahoe side.  On February 27 at South Platte Reservoir, Cal Gesmundo and Zak Pohlen reported White-winged Scoter and Say’s Phoebe.  

---On February 24 at South Platte Park C470 area, Matt Hofeditz reported Yellow-rumped Warbler.  On February 24 at South Platte Park SW Bay (Jefferson), Edward Donnan and Crystal Wilson reported Say’s Phoebe)

---On February 25 at Ketring Park and Lake, G Stack reported BRANT.  On February 27 at Ketring Park and Lake, Gregg Goodrich, Mark Chavez, Steve Miller, and Jim Merritt reported Black BRANT.  On March 1 at Gallup Park, Gwen Moore reported Black BRANT.  On March 1 at Ketring Park and Lake, Edward Donnan reported Black BRANT.

---On February 25 at Milliken Park, Jared Del Rosso reported Northern Goshawk.

---On February 27 at Cherry Creek SP, Mary Kiehtler reported American White Pelican.

---On February 28 on Arrowhead Loop (Elizabeth to Aurora and back), Tina Peters reported 2 Common Redpoll.

---On March 1 at Lee Gulch trail downstream of S Prince St in Littleton, David Suddjian reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On March 1 on High Line Canal Trail E Belleview Ave to E Quincy Ave (Blackmer Lake area), Santiago Tabares reported Say’s Phoebe.

ARCHULETA COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Navajo SP and Reservoir, Charles Martinez reported Least Sandpiper.

---On February 25 at Lake Forest in Pagosa Springs, Charles Martinez and Jean Zirnhelt reported 3 Trumpeter Swans on south end near fishing dock.

---On February 28 at Village Lake in Pagosa Springs, Byron Greco reported 3 Trumpeter Swans. 

---On February 28 at Vista Ponda, Charles Martinez reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On February 23 on Nelson Road, Sue Riffe reported a juv Snowy Owl flew over the road flying NW.  She was about a mile east of US 36.  

---On February 25 on Diagonal Hwy and Independence Road, Ron Rodhajsky reported Snowy Owl flying over road.  It appeared to be an adults since it was all white.

---On February 28 at Valmont Reservoir Complex, Jeff Parks reported Franklin’s Gull.

BROOMFIELD COUNTY:

---On February 28 and March 1 in field East of Huron between Hwy 7 and W of 160th Ave, Ivan Mota reported continuing Burrowing Owl.

CONEJOS COUNTY:

---On February 28 at Antonito, John Rawinski reported Sagebrush Sparrows.  Go to Antonito, take Rd G east until Rd F joins from SE.  Take Rd F and watch for next 2-3 miles.

DELTA COUNTY:

----On February 23 at Paonia Forest Service Office feeder, Dennis Garrison reported that the Fox Sparrow continues.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Rocky Mountain Lake Park, Gabriel Wiltse reported Northern Mockingbird.

---On February 24 at DIA, Bill Kaempfer and John Vanderpoel reported 3 Lapland Longspurs.

---On February 26 at Westerly Creek Park, Jason Bidgood reported Say’s Phoebe.

---On March 1 at First Creek at DEN OS, John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Chatfield SP Handicapped Fisherman Platform, Joey Kellner and others reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.  On February 25 at Chatfield SP Handicapped Fisherman Platform, Joey Kellner reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON and American White Pelican.  On February 27 at Chatfield SP From Handicapped Fisherman Platform and Marina Sandspit, Gregg Goodrich, Anna Troth, Gwen Moore, Time Ryan, Mark Chavez, and Steve Miller reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON, Red-necked Grebe, American White Pelican, and Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull.  On February 28 at Chatfield SP from Handicapped Fisherman Platform and Marina Sandspit, Chery Teuton, Dan Brooke, Cal Gesmundo, Zak Pohlen, and Christine Alexander reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON, Red-necked Grebe California Gull, and Iceland Gull.

---On February 24 at Chatfield SP, Megan Miller reported Red-necked Grebe.  On February 26 at Chatfield SP Marina Sandspit, Diane Roberts reported Red-necked Grebe.

---On February 25 at Chatfield SP, Matt Clark reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON flying around reservoir; Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull, and Lapland Longspur.  

---On February 26 at Highland Ranch Open Space near Toepfer, Gail Presley reported Say’s Phobe.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On February 21 at Monument Wastewater Treatment Plant, Alan Versaw reported f Barrow’s Goldeneye.  On February 24 at Monument Wastewater Treatment Plant, Roger Massey reported Greater Scaup and f Barrow’s Goldeneye.

---On February 24 on S Meridian Road from Hanover Road to Pueblo County Line, Roger Massey reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

---On February 24 on Old Pueblo Road, David Tonnessen reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On February 24 at Hanover Fire Station, Steve Rash reported Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On February 25 at High Drive, Chris Brobin reported Northern Goshawk.

---On March 1 at Clear Spring Ranch,Tanja Britton reported White-throated Sparrow.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On February 25 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Rob Hinds and Renee Casias reported 2 Trumpter Swans.

GARFIELD COUNTY:

---On February 26 at Silt Island Park, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Bewick’s Wren.

GRAND COUNTY:

---On March 1 at Snow Mountain Ranch cabins, Reed Gorner reported Pinyon Jay.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Blue Mesa Reservoir east end, Arden Anderson reported 70 Bohemian Waxwings.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On February 25 at Falcon Ridge Cub Creek, Chuck Aid reported ad Northern Goshawk.

---On February 25 at Harriman Lake Park, Christian Hagenlocher reported Greater Scaup.  On February 26 at Harriman Lake Park, David Suddjian reported Say’s Phebe and Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler.

---On February 25 at Chatfield SP, Matt Clark reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON flying around reservoir.

---On February 26 at Morrison Park, Matt Clark reported 2 African Collared-Doves and Harris’s Sparrow.

---On February 26 at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt Tabor Lake, Doug Kibbe reported Greater Scaup.

---On February 27 at Waterton Canyon from Waterton Road to overhead pipes, Cal Gesmundo and Zak Pohlen reported Common Redpoll.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On February 27 at Animas River Trail Huck Finn Pond and Hatchery Area, Ryan Votta reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On February 27 on Animas River Trail across from Mercury Payments, Jason St. Pierre reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder in Loveland, John Reichhardt and Sara Nooner reported Pine Warbler.  On March 1 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder in Loveland, John Reichhardt reported Pine Warbler.

---On February 23 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Neil Matheson reported Red Fox Sparrow.  On February 24 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Robert  Beauchamp and Pablo Quezada reported Rusty Blackbird.  On February 25 at CSU Environnmental Learning Center, David Wade, Nick Komar, and Walter Wehtje reported ad Northern Goshawk; Jim Nachel, Skyler Bol, and DFO Field trip led by Dave Leatherman reported Red Fox Sparrow.   On February 26 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Austin Hess reported Red Fox Sparrow.

---On February 27 at Kingfisher Point, Nix Farms and Williams NA, Lori Zabel reported 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

---On February 24 at Lake Loveland, Nick Komar and Walter Wehtje reported 2 California (californiucs) Gulls, 1 California (albertanensis) Gull, and 1 Iceland Gull.

---On February 24 at Bobcat Ridge NA, Christine and Richard Sparks and John Reichhardt reported American Woodcock.  On February 25 at Bobcat Ridge NA, DFO Field trip led by Dave Leatherman and Janet Anderson-Ray reported American Woodcock.

---On February 26 at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Arvind Panjabi reported 10 Common Redpoll.

---On February 27 at entrance raod to Bobcat Ridge NA, Joe Mammoser reported 6 Bohemian Waxwings.

---On February 28 at Fort Collins City Park and Sheldon Lake, Dave Leatherman found Red-necked Grebe which was seen by several other birders.   On March 1 at Fort Collins City Park and Sheldon Lake, Gary Lefko and many other birders reported Red-necked Grebe.

---On March 1 at Kechter Pit Wetland, Austin Hess reported HARRIS’S HAWK perched on telephone wire.

MESA COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Grand Junction WA, Ryan Claar reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On February 24 at Highline Lake SP, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported Greater Scaup and 2 California Gulls.  On February 26 at Highline Lake SP, Carol Ortenzio and Denise and Mark Vollmar reported 2 Greater Scaup and 2 California Gulls, and 180 Sandhill  Cranes.  On February 27 at Highline Lake SP, Mike Henwood reported 2 California Gulls.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On February 24 at McPhee Reservoir South Arm, Erik Hendrickson reported Long-tailed Ducks and Barrow’s Goldeneye.

MORGAN COUNTY:

---On February 24 at Riverside Park (east section) in Fort Morgan, Norm Lewis reported Winter Wren.  On February 27 at Riverside Park (east section), Brian Johnson reported Winter Wren.

PARK COUNTY:

---On February 27 at Elevenmile Reservoir, Steve Mlodiow reported Greater Scaup, 8 courting Barrow’s Goldeneyes, and California Gull.

PROWERS COUNTY:

---On February 28 at pond at US287 and Hwy 50, Tony Leukering reported 3 Greater Yellowlegs.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On February 26 at Runyon Lake in Pueblo, Mark Yaeger reported 2 Tree Swallows flying above river.

---On February 27 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Linda Hdges and Chares Paterson reported Great Black-backed Gull.

---On March 1 at Pueblo Reservoir Rock Canyon (below dam, north of River), Vicki Sandage reported Osprey.

RIO GRANDE COUNTY:

---On February 28 at Monte Vista NWR, John Rawinski reported Greater White-fronted Goose and 4-5,000 Sandhill Cranes.  

WELD COUNTY:

---On February 24 at LUNA Reservoir, Bill Kaempfer and John Vanderpoel reported 2 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls and Great Black-backed Gull.

---On February 25 at Firestone Gravel Pits (view from road), Gene Rutherford and Jack Bushong reported m Barrow’s Goldeneye.

---On February 24 at Firestone Recreation Area, Bill Kaempfer and John Vanderpoel reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 24 on South Platte River near 168th, Bill Kaempfer and John Vanderpoel reported Spotted Sandpiper and 4 American Pipits.  On February 28 on South Platte near 168th AVE, Sunny Bradford reported Double-crested Cormorant in ponds of wastewater treatment plant.

---On March 1 at Barefoot Lakes Area, Gene Rutherford reported 1-st cyc Mew Gull.

YUMA COUNTY:

---On February 25 at Stalker Lake outside of Wray, David Ely and Steve Mlodinow reported 80 Greater White-fronted Geese, Trumpeter Swan, Lincoln’s Sparrow,  2 Northern Cardinals, 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds.

DFO Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Tuesday, February 27 will be to Larimer County led by David Suddjian (dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659)   Meet at Colorado Parks and Wildlife Office at 0630, 6060 N Broadway  Exit I-25 at 58th Ave, go west 2 blocks to Broadway, then north 2 blocks to parking lot on right.

   Will explore selection of reservoir, parks, and other habitats seeking gulls and other waterbirds.  Bring lunch and liquids and plan to carpool from meeting spot.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, March 3 will be the cherry Creek State Park led by Marky Keithler (mkeithler AT yahoo.com; 303-771-1421)  Meet at west marina parking lot at 0800.  State Parks pass or day pass required.  Will carpool to various stops and walk 1-2 miles.  Bring binoculars, water, snacks, sunscreen and bug repellents.  Scopes are useful.  Register online or contact leader.  

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, March 4 will be to Denver City Park led by Patrick O’Driscoll (patrodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955)  Meet at 0645 at parking strip on north side of Ferril Lake. Enter park from Colorado Blvd.  Northbound turns left onto 22nd Ave past Museum of Nature and Science; southbound turns right onto 22nd at police station.  Go past museum parking until road curves toward zoo.  Take immediate left at “To Pavilion Bandstand” sign and go 300 yards down to corner with tall spruce trees, where lake comes into view.  Park diagonally on left beneath spruces.  

    Will check nesting colonies on Ducks and Ferril lakes and look for early migrants.  Scopes are not necessary but may be of help to check nests.  Dress for weather and bring water and snacks.  Register online or contact leader.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder